The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-01-13
GOV. MoGILL,s MESSAGE.

ou II Iiudy VI iooe HCCh WIG AAIsALD
mailed as supplement to its local
readers, the N essages Of Governors
Hubbard and McGill, and it it sim
cerely hoped that the latter at least
received thoughtful perusal. 1t is an
admirable document, full Of sound
views and recommendations, exhibit
ing degree of independence and
recomm endations of radical reform
which will 60 long way towards es-
tablishing. Gov. McGill in popular
favor. even among those who had
serious misgivings AS to the wisdom
of his nomination. In fact the mes.
sage is universally admired and en-
dorsed. 1t is short, but it is multuns
in parro.
In the matter of railroad transpor-
tatisn he marks out line of policy
for the legislature to render effective
which will meet the demands of all
excepting the railroad owners and
operators. He believes railroads
should be made the servants, not the
masters of the people. He urges
stringent measures against inflated
or watered stock, which EFFORTS
millions from the people annually,
and he recommends such regulation
Of rates as shall leave the farmer the
larger per centum of his crop, while
the capitol employed in getting it
to market receives fair eompensa-
ton. He recommends all that the
board of railroad and warehouse com.
missioners propose and much more
Of equal value. This feature Of his
message is admirable. So far as the
taxation of railroad lands are con-
cernsd he advocates the only just
course, that the property granted by
the state to the companies shall con-
tribute their share of the revenues
required by the state, and the town.
ships where located. He further re.
omnends that all railroad companies
be by law compelled to pay tax on
their gross earnings, a law which is
svaded at present. In this recon-.
mendation the HERALD does not con.
cur, but believes railroad property of
every kind should be assessed and
taxed as other properties in the place
where they actually are, and be sub
ject to all taxes, state, county local
and special, inasmuch as the roads
enjoy the same benefits. There is no
equity in system of taxation which
gives one locality the benefit of taxes
collected on property located remote.
of the expenses incindent to the pro-
lection of such property. AS it now
is, and as suggested by the Cover
. nor, county in which there is not a
dollars worth of railroad property
shares equally with the counties
which contain hundreds Of thousands
OF dollars worth of such property.
Another point In the message de-
serves all commendation-the recon-.
mendation that railroads be COM
polled to receive and ship grain as it
does other freight, by providing
suitable warehouses, operated with.
out expense to the shipper.
A new general tax law is recon.
mended, which will render such out
RACES as the Chauncy-Wass case i'm
possible. When person has paid
taxes his liability to be deprived of
his property on account of delin.
quences must close, no matter what
blunder or fraud may be perpetrated
bya public officer. A tax receipt
must be made fatal weapon against
the tax title shark. |
He calls attention to the demands
for better regulation for the liquor
traffic, and advocates high license as
best calculated to give practical re.
lief. His views and conclusions are
eminently sound on the temperance
question, aud should draw to him
every enemy Of intempsrance under
whatever name enlisted in the cru
sade.
The abolition of the contract system |
Of criminal labor is recomme ended,
and a reformatory for the reception
Of criminals convicted for first of. |
tense is strongly urged. The wisdom
of classifying convicts is two OBJ
vious to need discussion.
He urges bringing all banking in. !
stutions doing business under cor.
poratelname within the surveillance,
state or national. individuals and
firms may do banking business
when, where and how they please,
but they must do it in their own
proper name as individuals or firm,
and not under the title of u corpora
tion.
He concludes by urging a policy Of
economy as rigid as is consistent
with the public welfare.
It will be seen that the message
strikes at all the salient points in
and what is highly com.
strikes hard. There is ne
or uncertain verbiage.
He says what he means in way that
will not admit of double interpreta-
tion. 1t is a brave, sensible and